10 Terrifying True Stories That Deserve Horror Movie Adaptations

The Story: The unexplained death of Elisa Lam has been gone viral this month because of its bizarre circumstances. You can read a full rundown of what is known at Vigilant Citizen, but here are the key details. Early this year, a 21-year-old student named Elisa Lam was reported missing. Her body was later discovered by a maintenance worker in one of the rooftop water tanks of Los Angeles' Cecil Hotel, after guests had complained about the water tasting funny. Police found the above surveillance tape from the hotel's elevator, which may be some of Lam's final moments. You really have to watch it yourself to understand why it's been given so many the heebie jeebies and is inspiring paranormal activity theories. Keep in mind, no sign of alcohol or drug use were discovered in her autopsy.

The Pitch: Lam's strange demise is just one of stains on the Cecil Hotel's history. The shady locale has also played host two serial killers, including the Nightstalker, who is known to have murdered 13 women, and developed a reputation for being a hot spot for suicide from jumping out its windows. Basically, if I were going to make a movie of these events, it would be in the way of The Shining or American Horror Story: Murder House, where a location is essentially evil, driving those who stay there to commit incredible acts of violence. Maybe it could center on a detective, who is investigating a Lam-like case and begins to uncover the many skeletons the hotel has in its closets.